Melancholy Hill No More
by HideSeekKeep
Summary: Noodle had always been good at finding 2D's secret spots...  2DxNoodle


**Disclaimer: I played with Gorillaz history a bit before writing this, having Noodle go to the Maldives as Murdoc had initially stated instead of having her disappear to hell or wherever she was during her absence, so please keep this in mind. Thanks! Also, I do not own Gorillaz.**

Noodle had always been good at finding 2D's secret spots.

When she had been a child growing up at Kong and they had played hide-and-seek, 2D had always been the first to be found by the little guitarist. Granted, he knew he wasn't the cleverest one in the band but he had thought that he'd found some pretty good hiding places over the years, but Noodle had always known him too well. He hadn't minded too much upon being discovered though; the joy on the young girl's face whenever she found him had always been more than enough to satisfy him.

Now, Noodle was sitting at 2D's secret hiding spot on Point Nemo, dressed in a two-piece bathing suit, her legs tucked beneath her on a beach towel and her arms propping her up as she tilted her face to take in the sun. He was admittedly a little surprised to find her there, since he had been under the impression that no one on the island knew of the spot's existence.

2D had previously claimed the place as his sanctuary. It was a quiet location, a small sandy hill near the water's edge that faced toward the west and provided a beautiful view of the sunset. From time to time, a friendly manatee would swim by and splash around, but never before had another person made their presence known there until now.

Unsure as to whether he should approach or flee, 2D leaned his elbow against a nearby plastic palm tree, deliberating his options while also pondering the guitarist's recent return.

Noodle had been gone for the past four years and had only just reunited with them. She hadn't quite been cut out for the life of a rock and roller, and touring had been hard on the young girl. Having never had a normal upbringing, the guitarist began to wonder what life was like beyond Gorillaz. She had loved the band and the music, but they all knew that the time had been fast approaching for when she would want to set out on her own.

She made the announcement over dinner one night in 2006, one of the few times the entire band had been assembled for a meal round the Kong kitchen table.

"The time has come for me to leave you all. I do this with a heavy heart but I go to experience the world and, in doing so, hope to find myself."

They had carefully set up the "El Manana" music video to provide her with an easy exit, and it had gone off without a hitch, but they had not taken into account how much they would miss her once she had gone.

During her absence, she had maintained some contact with the band, 2D more so than the others, which he had taken a secret pleasure in. He had always shared a special bond with the guitarist, one that he had never quite understood but, then again, he didn't understand a lot of things so he had just let it be. 2D always received a thrill when the mailman arrived with something from Noodle.

Her first destination had been the Maldives, where she was determined to take a long, well-deserved vacation. 2D had received a postcard not more than a week after her departure:

_The water is so blue here. It reminds me of the colour of your hair. Wish you were here._

_xoxo,_

_Noodle_

After a year on the islands, Noodle eventually found herself restless. She hadn't been built to stay still for long—something that she hadn't realized until she had actually experienced it—so Noodle left to travel the world, visiting practically every country 2D had ever heard of, in addition to numerous ones he didn't even know existed. He had followed her journeys across the globe through her messages. She would occasionally send trinkets and various gifts, thoughtful things that only she would know to remember. A melodica arrived one day from Germany; a few months later he received a miniature Buddha postmarked from India. In December he received a small package, with a letter attached:

_Greetings from Toronto! I had the great fortune of running into our favourite zombie filmmaker—George Romero—whose movies you and I have spent many hours watching together. Would you believe that he is a fan of Gorillaz? It is amazing how the circle of creativity goes round and round. Mr. Romero and I send our love…and a little something extra._

Inside the package was a copy of _Dawn of the Dead_, which was not only autographed but personalized. 2D nearly dropped the gift out of shock upon opening it. He was on Cloud 9 for the rest of the month.

After two years, Noodle's wanderlust was sated and she finally settled down in Japan. She dyed her hair black, wore brown contact lenses, and hid herself amongst the masses, living in relative anonymity. She got in contact with Mr. Kyuzo, her former mentor, who taught her more about her past and introduced her one by one to the other children that had been a part of the experiment.

_They are all so interesting and talented in their own special areas. Miho is very skilled at solving puzzles, while Jun is able to play any sport with ease. Natsuki is an amazing artist and can draw anything she sees just once in incredible detail. Riku has one of my favorite abilities—he can mimic anyone's voice and I sometimes ask him to impersonate Gorillaz songs. When I close my eyes, it almost seems like you are here, although he does not have the same soul when he sings as you do. _

_None of them realize that they are trained super soldiers with the capacity to unleash great destruction on the world, and Mr. Kyuzo and I intend to keep it that way. He continues to watch over them with great diligence, and I keep the secret passwords close to my heart at all times._

After being captured by Murdoc and brought to Point Nemo to record Gorillaz' third album, 2D had lost contact with Noodle. Murdoc had taken total control of any correspondence that came and left Plastic Beach and he wouldn't allow 2D to send a letter, let alone an email. The singer knew that Noodle's messages must have been piling up and that she would become concerned when she received no response back from him. 2D resorted to throwing empty beer bottles filled with messages into the sea, hoping in vain that they would somehow reach her. He found himself escaping to his secluded hill more and more often, naming it Melancholy Hill for the deep sense of sadness he felt at being held against his will and separated from the ones he loved.

And then, she returned. Looking out to the horizon one day from his secret spot, he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw her approaching the island astride a gigantic Russel.

Upon landing and seeing 2D, who had rushed to the dock to greet them, she had run into his arms and nearly toppled him over.

"I missed you, 2D-kun," she had whispered into his ear and he had spun her around out of sheer joy that she was back.

Her reunion with Murdoc, however, had not been such a happy event. She'd had a difficult time coming to terms with the fact that the bassist had recorded an album without her and Russel and that she'd been replaced by an android version of herself—all news that she had found out through reading recent interviews. Murdoc hadn't even consulted with Noodle about the album beforehand, assuming that her break from the band had been a permanent one. The two argued for many hours, until they reached a sort of stalemate.

Not having anticipated any guests at Plastic Beach, Murdoc had relegated Noodle to sleep in one of the leather seats in the study (with Russel forced to remain outside until they found a way to shrink him back to normal size).

Later that night, Noodle knocked on 2D's bedroom door, asking if he if he could lend her a pillow. Before 2D could even respond though, she burst into tears. He had ushered her into his room, holding her in his arms as she cried openly and voiced her frustrations and sadness regarding not having been able to be involved in the recording of the third album. A few hours later, the guitarist was finally spent and 2D had tucked her into his bed, opting for the floor.

Noodle had never been one to hold a grudge though. "Spilt water will not return to the tray," she had said as she arrived at the breakfast table the next morning. A smile then broke on the girl's face and she was back to her old self, the Noodle they had known and loved from years past. She came back into their lives almost as if she hadn't been gone, and the singer and guitarist picked up their friendship right where it had left off.

Or so 2D had thought. They had always been the best of friends and they had quickly fallen back into their old ways—playing video games, watching zombie movies, having secret jam sessions. No one in the world seemed to understand him like she did and his migraines seemed to subside when she was around. While Noodle's presence brought peace to his mind, however, 2D found that she was sending his heart into turmoil.

Noodle had certainly grown over the years and, unlike when she had first arrived in her FedEx crate, there certainly was no doubt as to what her gender was now. She had blossomed into a beautiful young woman and 2D couldn't help but notice. He found his gaze lingering on her a few moments too long; the slightest of touches made him feel like his body was on fire. He began to wonder what it would be like to kiss her. He had previously never thought of Noodle as anything other than a band mate and little sister, and these new feelings both surprised and disturbed him. For a while he felt rather like a dirty old man for feeling this way.

He soon realized that his feelings for Noodle were not based solely on physical desire though. He genuinely enjoyed spending time with her. She made him laugh and think about things he'd never before considered. She was inspiring with her energy and talent, and he found himself coming up with new songs in her presence. He genuinely cared for the guitarist and began to think that perhaps she might feel the same way as well. He would notice her staring at him at times, a pretty blush filling her cheeks whenever she was caught. She'd always been an affectionate person but her touches felt more flirtatious as of late. It drove him insane that he did not know where they stood. The two had never had much need for words but this was one issue that he desperately wanted to address. How to broach the subject, however, he had no idea.

So here she was, sunbathing in his favorite spot on the island and 2D did not know what to do. Part of him wanted to turn around and let her remain in peace but another part of him wanted to be in her company, no matter how confused she made him feel. Plus, he'd meant to spend time on the hill anyway; why should her presence suddenly dissuade him from that? Finally pulling himself away from his vantage point, he decided to approach her.

"Hello, 2D!" she said upon turning around and seeing who it was, a grin breaking on her face. "I was just sitting here waiting for the sunset. Would you care to join me?"

He wasn't so sure if participating in such a decidedly romantic activity with Noodle would be such a good idea but he could not deny her the request.

"Yeah, sure, little love. I'd be happy to."

She scooted to one end of her towel and patted the spot beside her, where he attempted to make himself comfortable. He suddenly felt unreasonably warm, even with the cool ocean breeze blowing in his face.

The sound of the waves rolling in and out in their steady rhythm helped to temporarily calm him but before long his mind began to stray. He had so many things he wanted to say to her, to ask her. _I think you're the prettiest thing I've ever seen. Would it be inappropriate if I said I had feelings for you? You probably think of me just as a big brother, don't you? _Rather than saying any of those things (or declaring them all at once, which he figured probably wouldn't be a good idea), he settled on a neutral topic of conversation.

"So did you ever find whatever it was you were looking for? On your travels, I mean. I realize I never asked," he said.

There was no response, no sign that she had even heard him at all. She was staring out at the horizon, looking like she was a million miles away, and 2D couldn't help but notice that the setting sun was doing some very lovely things to her face.

"I found many things on my journeys, 2D-kun," she replied after a while, a wistful smile forming on her lips. "I found peace in the Maldives. I found knowledge in Egypt. I found adventure in Brazil. I found more of my history in Japan. But after all of this, I have only now finally found my heart."

His brow furrowed at the statement. "But that's silly. Your heart's right here, Noodle-love," he said, reaching out to place his hand above the left side of her chest. 2D was no expert on physiology but he knew he could correctly identify the beating organ any day.

She laughed sweetly at his response but shook her head as she took hold of his hand, the contact sending sparks down his arm.

"No, no, 2D-kun. It turns out it was _here _all along," she said as she placed his hand above his own quickly beating heart.

Was she saying what he thought she was saying? He felt that he had a clue but sometimes 2D just needed things spelled out for him. He got his answer though when she placed a small kiss on his cheek, very close to his lips, seeming to test the waters. When she pulled away, he saw that she was flushed, her eyes questioning. He was more than happy to answer her, cupping her head in his hands and then gently kissing her. The feel of her lips beneath his was sheer bliss. Soon the kiss became hungry and she eagerly matched him in his fervor. To know that she returned his feelings sent 2D's heart soaring. Why hadn't he done this sooner? He savored her taste and the way she felt, his hands roaming over her body, his mind still not believing that this was real. She sprinkled kisses all over his face and when she hit a sensitive spot beneath his jaw line, he moaned in pleasure.

Noodle had always been good at finding 2D's secret spots.

* * *

Hours later, the two lay entwined together on the beach towel, Noodle's head on 2D's shoulder, her arm draped over his chest. She smelled faintly of vanilla and 2D marveled at how she seemed to fit so perfectly tucked into him. The sun had set long ago and in the distance cicadas were singing.

He had previously dubbed the place they lay Melancholy Hill. Perhaps now, he thought, it was time for a name change.

**Author's Note: **_**Hey, guys! Thanks for joining me on my second venture into Gorillaz fan fiction. I hope you all enjoyed! I wanted to play with the idea of Noodle having gone to the Maldives and, as you can probably already tell, I was also inspired by both "On Melancholy Hill" and the Phase Three image of 2D and Noodle hanging out on the beach…and voila! I started this oneshot way back in April but hit a huge block; with the threat of midterms looming once again, however, the creative juices seem to have started flowing (funny how that works, yeah?) and I finally was able to bring this story to completion, so hooray! I hope it was worth the wait.**_

_**If you liked the story, please review! Reviews brighten up my day like nothing else. **_


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